Grand Prairie Texas History:
Though settlers arrived in the area prior to the Civil War, Grand Prairie was not organized until 1863 when A. M. Dechman's wagon broke down on a trip between Jacksonville and Fort Belknap. He traded his broken wagon, ox team and Confederate cash for 239 acres of land. The Dechman post office was established in 1874. In 1876, the Texas and Pacific Railway built a line connecting Dechman and Eagle Ford, just east of Dallas. Dechman platted the townsite on his land, and gave the railroad alternating lots in blocks A, B, C, and D in exchange for permission to operate the train depot. The railroad called the town Grand Prairie. The post office was renamed Grand Prairie in 1877. By 1890, the town had general stores, two churches, a school, a steam gristmill and cotton gin, broom and wagon factories, and 300 residents. The town received telephone service in 1900. Grand Prairie incorporated in 1902. By 1907, travel to Fort Worth became easier when the Dallas-Fort Worth Pike, later U.S. Highway 80, was graveled, and good bridges were built over the waterways. In the 1920s this agricultural community shipped cotton, grain and livestock. In 1928, the City of Dallas built the 300 acre Hensley Field two miles east of the Grand Prairie city limits. The field became the site of all army operations in Dallas and was a boost to Grand Prairie’s economy. The U.S. Army rented the field from Dallas for $1 a year. The Public Works Administration built a school. Mountain Creek Lake was completed in 1931, adding recreational activities and tourism to Grand Prairie’s economic base. Grand Prairie grew from 1,263 residents in 1925 to 1,595 by World War II. The town also grew during World War II because the establishment of the North American Aviation defense plant. In 1947, Dallas annexed the industrial area to the east of Grand Prairie, including the aircraft plants, Hensley Field, and Mountain Creek Lake. This took a chunk out Grand Prairie’s economic base. In 1948, the United Aircraft Corporation moved its plant and 1,500 employees to the site of the old aircraft plant. Many of them lived in Grand Prairie which provided city services while Dallas collected the industrial taxes. In 1955, Grand Prairie unsuccessfully attempted to persuade Dallas to de-annex the industrial strip. By 1990, Grand Prairie had 99,616 residents. 81,527 lived in Dallas County, 18,086 in Tarrant County, and the rest in Ellis County. Grand Prairie industries produced aircraft and aircraft parts, plastics, machine parts, and mobile homes. Grand Prairie is bordered by the cities of Dallas, Arlington, Irving and Cedar Hill. Mountain Creek Lake is located on the town’s eastern border and Joe Pool Lake is located on the southern border. Three creeks, Fish, Kirby and Cottonwood, flow through Grand Prairie. Grand Prairie is located at the intersections of SH 180, IH-30, SH 12 and SH 360, 30 miles east of White Settlement, 23 miles east of Fort Worth and Lake Worth, 16 miles east of Lake Arlington, 6.8 miles east of Arlington, 39 miles northeast of Azle and Eagle Mountain Lake, 42.6 miles southeast of Denton, 26.7 miles southeast of Lewisville and Lake Lewisville, 19 miles southeast of Grapevine and Lake Grapevine, 22 miles southeast of Coppell, 45 miles southwest of McKinney, 44 miles southwest of Wylie and Lake Lavon, 32 miles southwest of Plano, 32 miles southwest of Rowlett, 28 miles southwest of Lake Ray Hubbard, 27 miles southwest of Richardson, 27 miles southwest of Garland, 16.6 miles southwest of Dallas, 45 miles west of Terrell, 26.5 miles west of Mesquite, 46 miles northwest of Kaufman, 49 miles northwest of Ennis, 36 miles northwest of Waxahachie, 25 miles northwest of Lancaster, 14 miles northwest of Duncanville, 13.5 miles northwest of Cedar Hill, 29 miles north of Midlothian, 49 miles northeast of Cleburne, 35 miles northeast of Burleson, 19.6 miles northeast of Mansfield, and 31 miles slightly northeast of Benbrook Lake and Benbrook, Texas.

Veterans Memorial:
The memorial consists of five granite columns representing each branch of the U.S. military. The columns are engraved with the names, rank and date of death of the more than 50 Grand Prairie veterans who died or were missing in action during military service. The memorial is located behind the Summit Senior Citizens Center at 915 Conover Drive.

Grand Prairie Municipal Airport:
Amenities include a 4,000 foot long concrete runway, repair and cargo services, a helipad, support services, tie-downs and FBO services, 227 individual T-hangers, a new terminal and control tower, a self-fueling island, and the Mixed Up Burger Restaurant. The restaurant is open Mon-Sat, 6am-9pm; Sun, 6am-6pm. Airport: (972) 237-7591. Restaurant: (972) 595-5420.3116 South Great Southwest Parkway, 75052. Restaurant Reviews